Apparatus for sterilizing milk-cans.



A.JEN-SEN. APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING MILK CANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4.1916- Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. JENSEN.

Y APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING MILK CANS.

APPLI CATION FILED APR. 4. 1916- v Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

atrbmwqf Fifi.

-AAGE JENSEN, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YOR-K.

APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING- MILK-CANS.

-Specificatibn of Letters Patent.

Original application filed November 9,1915, Serial No. 60,609. Divided and this application filed April 4,

To all whom it may concern: V Be it known that I, AAGE JENSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Island City, in the county of Queens and State of'New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Sterllizing Milk-Cans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, forming part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for sterilizing milk 1 ter the cans have been thoroughly washed they are steamed for a sufficient time'to'kill the remaining germ life and finally dried by flooding the cans with sterile air which may be either air sterilized by any well known method, or air heated to a sterilizing temperature,-as disclosed in the present em' bodiment of the invention. 'During each step of the process absolute sterile conditions prevail and consequently practically all of the germ life has been removed from the treated cans. Furthermore, the cans are perfectly dry when the sterilizing process is completed, so that there is no danger of the subsequent formation of metallic oxids. This prevents the imparting of a metallic flavor to the milk in the cans and in additiongreatly increases'the life of the cans themselves.

The invention consists in the improved arrangement, construction, and combinations of'-pa-rts,-hereinafter more fully described a? and pointed out inthe claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings,-

Figure l is a plan view,partly in section,

' of. the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, p

' forced through, duct 13 and into the open on the line 2- 2 'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section Jon the line 4-.4 of Fig. 2.

' air and the spaces 2 between the tubes not shown.

Serial No. 88,936.

Fig. 5 is a detail view.

Like. characters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

As shown, the cylindrical Wall 1- of the casing surrounds an inner chamber 2. "The sides of said chamber may be inclosed by a cylindricalwall 3 suitably insulated from the outer wall of the casing, as shown at 1. Upper and lower heads 5, 6, are provided respectively with flanges 5?, 6, whereby they may be secured to the'cylindrical wall 3 of the chamber 2. Said heads formthe top 1 and bottom 'inclosing walls of the chamber.

Within the chamber 2 are tubes 7 extending. all the way through the upper and lower heads 5, 6. The tubes are open at both ends Patented Aug. 7,1917.

and may be secured to the heads 5, 6, by expanding theirends over the sides of suitable apertures in the hea'ds, in the manner well known in-the boiler construction art. Be-

neath lower head 6 of the chamber. '2, is a bottom" plate 8 secured to the cylindrical wall 3 of said chamber in any suitable man ner. The spaces 7 inclosed by the several tubes 7 afford passages for the circulation ofform a steam and condensation chamber. The space between lower head 6 and bottom plate 8 forms an air chamber 8 which permits air to circulate down through some of the tubes and up the others, as will presently appear.

The upper end of cylindrical wall- 1 isclosed by' a cover plate 9 having a-centralthroat or restricted passage 10 provided with a cap 1.1. Mounted above cap 11 is a blower 12 of suitable construction and the discharge end of which communicates with a duct 13 extending through cap plate 11 into throat 10 and having its flared, as shown at 13*. The flared portion 13 of duct 13 rests on the upper head 5 of chamber 2. An air inlet pipe 14: is connected with the intake of the blower 12, and a suitable filter 15 connected with said inlet pipe extracts the dust and other foreign substances from the entering air. Blower 12 maybe driven by a pulley 12 to -which power is supplied from any suitable'source,

Air is drawn in by the blower 12 and ends ofthe central tubes 7 which are 10- cated on the inside of the flared endl3 of wer end which itv passes up the outer tubes 7 the uper ends of which are on the outside of the ower flared end of the duct. These tubes direct the air into the space 16 between duct 13 and the outer walls of the casing.

Revolubly mounted around throat 10 of cover plate 9 is a sleeve 17. To reduce friction and allow the sleeve to turn easily, antifriction bearings 18 are provided between the flange 10 of throat 10 and the lower end of the sleeve. A packing 19 of suitable ma terial is also inserted in groove 19 of flange 10 to eflect a tight seal and lubricatethe parts during operation. Projecting from sleeve 17 is a series of hollow arnjrs 20 with the inner end of the duct 21 in "each arm communicating with a corresponding discharge port 17 in the sleeve 17 The outer end of each arm 20 is preferably forked, as

shown in F 1, whereby it is divided into two sections, 20"-, 20 Eachscction is provided with a suitable bracket or table. one

22 of which is adapted to support the body of a milk can, and the other 22 of which supports the top of a milk can. The discharge ends'21 21 of the duct 21 in arm 20 extend through the respective tables 22, 22 and form nozzles which direct blastsof air issuing from the space 16 into the can body or top, as the case may be. "Tables 22*}, 22 are provided with ports 22 through which water and steamunay be injected into the cans, at. the desired time. The water from the cans is allowed to run out through drip poi tsbr openings 22 in the tables. Throat 10 is provided with a series of ports 10 adapted to register with the ports 17 in sleeve 17. The number of ports 10*, however. is less than the number of ports 17 in the sleeve, there being no port in the throat at the point where an arm 20 is in position for rinsing and steaming the can.

Mounted within a small closed sleeve 23 in cap 11 is a downwardly spring pressed plunger 24. The lower end of said plunger 24 is adapted to fit into recesses 25 in theupper face of rotary sleeve 17 when the.

sleeve ports 17 are in registry with the ports 10 in throat 10., This construction provides a guide for informing the operator when the movable and stationary parts of the device are in operative relation toeach other.

Steam is supplied to the steam passages 2 of chamber2. by a steam supply pipe 27 the upper end of which projects through cap 11 and is provided with a regulating valve 28 and a fluid pressure gage 29 for informing the operator of the amount of fluid pressure Within the steam passages 2 of the chamber. Connected with the lower end of the steam space or passages 2 is an outlet pipe'30 having a valve 31 which controls the supply of steam to the vertical pipe 32. Vertical pipe 32 is provided with branches or nozzles 33 and 34, hne branch 33 of which is adapted to inject a column of fluid through a port 22 in table 22, and the other branch 34 of which is adapted to inj ect a column of fluid through a similar port in the other table 22 Theflow of fluid through each branch separately may be con trolled by valves 35. Valve 31 is preferably arranged for operation by a foot pedal 36 having operating connections 37 with the spindle of the valve. By regulating the size of the opening of ihe valve 31 the water of condensation in the steam space 2 may be kept at a given level without reducing the desired degree of pressure.

In operation, steam is first allowed to enter into the steam passages 2 by opening regulating valve 28, the valve being left open until the desired degree of pressure is obtained. lVater is condensed in the lower portion of the steam passages and is under the pressure of the dry steam above. 'F an 12 is then put in motion, thereby forcing air down through the central tubes 7 into the air chamber 8 up through the outer tubes 7* and out the ducts 21 in the arms 20, the airemitting at the discharge nozzles 21, 21 in a superheated condition. The body of a can to be treated is placed in a table 22 in inverted position and the top of a can on table 22 which are first positioned over nozzles 33 and 34. Valve 31 is then opened by pressing the foot pedal, which first results in the injection into the can of the water which has condensed in the steam passages. The water of condensation exhausting. the jet changes automatically to steam. \Vhen the can has been steamed for a suflicient time to destro 'i all the germ life, sleeve 17 may be manually rotated to a position wherein a sleeve port is in registry with a port in throat 10. The sterilized air now enters the can in large volumes, thereby quickly absorbing all the moisture remaining from the rinsing and steaming processes. The can emerges from the treatment in a perfectly dry condition. The same operation is repeated until all of the cans have been treated. Revolving movement of the table carries the cans successively into positions wherein they are subjected tothe air blast until the treated cans are brought back to the operator who will 'take a position adjacent the water and steam nozzles 33, 34. The treated cans are removed and untreated cans placed on the tables.

In actual practice. it is preferable to maintain approximately one hundred pounds pressure within the steam passages of the passages, air and steam inlets therefor,means for regulating the supply of steam whereby lated by it is played in 0 'n liowerui, that the tempera-- ""verai terilizing agents e ing out the process may i rying the fluid pressure main-- ed within the ste' space 26 his ier temperatures pressures may employed desired.

What is .imed is tr A sterilizing apparatus comprising a chamber having separate air and steam i water is condensed in the steam passage and the fluid pressure within the chamber is "maintained at a degree to heat the air to a sterilizingtemperature, a nozzle connected with the steam passage and arranged to di I face with sterilized. air. v

r 2. A sterilizing'apparatuschamber having separate air and steam; passages, air .and. steam inlets therefor,- meansfor regulating the supply of steam. whereby water; is condensed in'the steam." passage and the fluid pressure withintheI chamber is maintained at a degree to heat" ature, a nozzle? ssage and 'are' rect thewa'ter ofcondensationfollowed by steam overthe surface to be sterilized, and

an air nozzle connected with the airpassage and operative to subsequently flood the sur comprising a the airto a sterilizing tem sages, air-and steam inlets'therefor, a ter conneotedwith the' airfil-ea-ineans for regu latingithe supply of. steam; whereby water is Much ion followed hysteam over the sursteriiized, anair nozzle connected with the air passage nd operative to subse quently flood the st ce with the sterilized air, and a blower for fercing the air throughthe air passage in the chamber and out of the nozzle.

4. A sterilizing apparatus comprising acontainer having separate air and steam passages, air and steam inlets therefor, a nozzle I for directing the sterilizing medium from the steam passages to the article to be sterilized, a rotatable member mounted on the container and provided with-a pluralityof supports each adapted to sustain an article to be sterilized, said member being adapted to advance the articles sustained by said sup ports successively into and out of operative position\ with respect to said nozzle, ports "inthe container communicating with the air passages for/directing air to articles ear-- riedby the supports into positions remote from the nozzle, and air passages in said supports adapted to register with the-ports in the container.

5. ,A sterilizingl container having an inclos'ed steam chamber,

apparatus comprising a 15" Ia-steaminlet, a nozzle connectedwith the 7 v steamchamb'er for directing the'steriliz'ing medium fromthe steam chamber to the article'to be sterilized, down draft and up draft airpassages extending through the steam chamber, an air inletat theupperendsf .ofthe down draftpassages, a passagefbe l van'ce the" articles sustained by said supports with said air ports in the container.

, neath' the steam. chamber .,connecting the down draft air' -passag'es with the up draft an: passages, ports in the container. com-nin nicatingwith theup-draft air'pas'sa'ges, a rotatable-member mounted on the, containerr and provided with a plurality of supports, fe'ach adaptedto'sustainan article to he sterilized, said-member being adapted toad} condensed in the steamjpa'ssageand the fluid -successivelyinto and .out of-operative'posi'eg pressure within the chainberis I'r'iaintainedat a degree ,to.h eat1 the'iairlto asterilizing tem perature,a1no'z;le connected-with the steam 1 ranged to directthe water. of

-' 'tion with vrespect tosaidnOZZlEiyifild ainpas 1' sages in said supports adapted to: register AAe-n NS N. 

